Shades of Gray
by Lady Arreya
Summary: Inspired by "Good Copy, Bad Copy." Albedo’s selfish pursuit of his desires forces Ben to confront his feelings for Gwen. Very dark, and very AU. AlbedoxGwen, BxG.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Shades of Gray  
Rating: T  
Summary: Inspired by "Good Copy, Bad Copy." Albedo's selfish pursuit of his desires forces Ben to confront his feelings for Gwen. Very dark, and very AU. BxG, AlbedoxGwen.

A/N: Alternate version of my story, "Bad Boys." Posted by popular demand. Partly inspired by "Possession" by Sarah McLachlan. Starts from just before "Good Copy, Bad Copy," then deviates from there.

* * *

He felt edgy. Restless.

He'd been cut off from everything that he knew and loved. Completely isolated. He had nowhere to go. He wanted his life back, and the only way to do that was to find Ben Tennyson. Even if he had to destroy him.

How hard could it be to take down a mere human?

He'd gone from galaxy to galaxy, trying to get closer to Earth. It hadn't been easy. Though he had the power of the Omnitrix – or at least, a copy – and could turn into aliens, he was at the mercy of the original. If only he had the real Omnitrix… He could use his superior intelligence and skills to control it in ways that puny human couldn't even imagine.

He yearned to be free.

He'd had enough of the human experience for a lifetime. It was pathetic, this creature he resembled. So primitive. He took comfort in the knowledge that he was superior in every way.

But that didn't make him feel much better these days.

He'd been trapped in this form for so long that sometimes he wasn't sure who he was anymore. Was he really Albedo of the Galvan anymore? The memories of his prior life and identity had started to fade. It had all blurred together. At first, being in this form had felt so foreign, so distasteful and uncomfortable. It still did, but he had gotten more used to it. It didn't feel as strange as it used to, and that really scared him. He had to fight to hold on to those distant memories of what it was like to be himself. Some days he feared he would never be restored to his true self, that he would remain in human form forever.

He tried as hard as he could to hold on to whatever was left of Albedo the Galvan. Because if he couldn't turn back into himself, he didn't know what he'd do. He'd go crazy.

It was the ultimate punishment, being trapped in the body of an adolescent human male. These humans were so limited, he thought scornfully. They were arrogant, mercurial, irrational. Their limited minds had no concept of matters of greater import. The universe was at stake, everyone's fate in the hands of a 15-year-old human, and yet all they could think about was their miserable little lives.

Turning into other aliens gave him a brief reprieve, but never long enough. He always turned back into Ben. A worthless little human with petty wants and needs. It was a wonder that the human race had survived as long as it had. He felt nothing but contempt for these humans. And yet, the form he was trapped in compelled him to seek out what it demanded.

He couldn't read Ben's mind, had no access to his thoughts – and had no desire to, he thought with a shudder – but the rest… The base physical needs he yearned to have fulfilled… Even though he didn't understand them, he had to follow them instinctively.

And now he'd finally made it…

Earth.

He'd traveled all this way to find Ben 10. To steal the real Omnitrix from him. To restore himself. He was trapped in this form, craving things he didn't comprehend. And now that he was on Earth, he could satisfy his desire for these mysterious things. Chili fries – crisp, hot, hearty and spicy. Creamy smoothies filled with the freshest fruits he'd ever tasted. Popcorn – crunchy, salty, buttery, yet surprisingly light and airy. Ice cream – cold, melting, sweet and rich. He'd had no concept of what these things were before. But now that he'd tasted them, he couldn't stop consuming them. They sustained his existence.

He would never understand this human. But being in his form meant that he wanted everything Ben did. He'd had dreamt of all these things that could only be found on Earth. Oak trees. Open fields of green grass that he wanted to run through, exhilarated. The warm flat surface of a fishing rock. Lakes that he wanted to jump into with a loud splash, crying out, "Cannonball!"

He was moved by the setting of the sun. He wanted to race his bike down the hills that surrounded him, the wind whipping through his hair. When he saw a dog, he had the urge to run to it and stroke it affectionately. Whenever a car passed by, he longed to drive it.

He'd been deprived for so long, and on Earth he could savor it all.

Horror movies. Television. Computer games. Music with soulful, rockin' lyrics. The sharp twang of an electric guitar, the pounding bass rhythm of the drums.

A comfortable bed, awakening to the sound of birds chirping melodiously. He'd learned how unpleasant it was to be cold, without shelter. And how good it felt to be powerful, when he could transform into an alien and destroy his enemies, instead of being a puny 15-year-old.

Albedo wanted it all.

But most of all, he wanted her.

She was radiant, a goddess. He was tormented by the powerful dreams he had of her, the images that lingered in his mind. He saw her face nearly every night in his dreams. Emerald green eyes that were a mirror of his own. Flawless skin and long, shining red hair.

He could sense how Ben tried to deny those feelings, the longing he had for her, how he'd managed to repress it and confine it to some small dark corner in the back of his mind. But that didn't make it go away. It only made it worse. It only made him want her more.

He didn't even know who she was, but she was the culmination of all his desires.

(To be continued in Chapter 2…)


	2. Chapter 2

Gwen stared at her phone, willing it to ring.

He was supposed to call her, but he hadn't yet. She'd never thought of herself as the type of girl who sat waiting by the phone for a boy to call her, but here she was.

Besides, it wasn't just any ordinary boy that she was expecting to call her. He was her cousin and her best friend. And he always called when he was supposed to.

But lately he'd seemed very distracted, and she was worried about him. He'd grown absent-minded, forgetful. Even secretive.

He'd never been like that with her, and she didn't know what it meant. She'd always been able to read him like an open book. He'd never been able to hide anything from her.

He'd never tried.

It was one of the things she loved most about him – how open and honest he could be with her. And how she could be open and honest with him. She trusted him completely.

He'd never been much concerned about privacy with her.

Until now. The distance between them had been growing lately. It almost felt like he was moving on without her.

She didn't like it one bit.

They were supposed to be a team. It had been like that since they were 10 years old. Her, Ben and Grandpa Max. Losing Grandpa Max had been nearly unbearable.

And if she lost Ben, she'd have no one.

She tried her best not to cling to him, but sometimes she felt really panicked. She needed him.

Without him, she felt at a loss.

And then there were the reports from the alien frequencies Kevin constantly monitored.

What was Ben up to? Why were there so many aliens interested in him right now?

She felt a sense of impending doom. That something really horrible was going to happen to Ben.

She couldn't let that happen.

_Why hasn't he called me yet?_ she wondered anxiously.

That had been happening more and more lately. He was probably out with Julie. Julie made him forget about other things that were supposed to be important to him.

Like Gwen.

She tried not to hate Julie too much. She wanted Ben to be happy, she really did.

_But what I really want is for him to be happy with me_, she couldn't help thinking.

It just wasn't fair. He was everything she ever wanted. He was everything she would ever want. Smart, funny, sensitive, caring, courageous…

Ben was unique. He wasn't like other guys his age, who were only interested in getting laid or owning a sweet ride. He wasn't selfish or arrogant. He had a bigger purpose in life, and he cared about other people and the fate of the universe.

He had such passion, such conviction. He was truly a hero.

How could she not love him?

He inspired loyalty and devotion everywhere he went. She'd vowed to stand by him, always.

But she also knew her love would remain unrequited. He was so single-minded in purpose that no woman would ever matter more to him than that saving the universe.

Not even her.

She despaired sometimes. Loving him so much but not being able to have him… It tore her heart to pieces. But there was nothing she could do. She could only stay beside him, loving him from a distance. At least this way she could look after him as best she could. As she always had.

She was desperate to hold on to him. It was perverse, she knew, to constantly want someone who was unattainable.

Was she doing it on purpose, unconsciously, to protect herself from getting hurt? She wasn't sure.

But she knew with certainty that Ben was forbidden to her. He was her cousin, and they could never be together.

(To be continued in Chapter 3…)


End file.
